A PENSIONER said "I am going to jail aren’t I?" after knocking over a pedestrian on a zebra crossing.

Roy Sargent was on his way home from a trip to the shops on January 29 when his Citroen Picasso hit a pedestrian on a crossing in London Road, Stanway. 

The 81-year-old, of Rugosa Close, Stanway, appeared at Colchester Magistrates' Court on December 3 to face a charge of causing serious injury by careless driving. 

Following the incident, the road was closed in both directions near the junction with Lucy Lane South, and police and ambulance services attended the scene. 

The victim was taken to Addenbrooke’s Hospital with serious injuries. 

Erin Peck, prosecuting, read a victim impact statement, prepared by the victim’s family. 

They said their lives had been "turned upside down”. 

The family said the victim needed surgery, was on life support and spent several months in hospital, leaving him “depressed and down”. 

George Dixon, mitigating, told the court Sargent was very remorseful for what had happened. 

He said: “He will be 82 next year, has no previous convictions and his driving license is completely clean. It was very out of character for him.” 

Mr Dixon told the court Sargent was unable to explain what had caused the incident, saying he did not see the victim. 

“His first words when he was stopped after the incident were ‘I am going to jail aren’t I?’ He was so upset and really did not know what to do in these circumstances," said Mr Dixon. 

“He is nothing but remorseful and said there are no words to express it. He wants to apologise for all the pain and anguish he has caused.” 

The court heard Sargent voluntarily surrendered his driving licence to the DVLA following the incident and had “no intention to ever drive again”. 

Magistrates fined Sargent £891, as he was deemed unfit to serve a community order due to his age.